Collagen Skin Benefits
Collagen is the most common protein in the human body, comprising about 30 percent of the body's total protein content, according to Medical News Today. Collagen offers a wide variety of skin benefits, but the benefits vary depending upon environmental factors and how your body accesses collagen. Some products make extreme claims about their benefits, and applying collagen directly to the skin is unlikely to yield many benefits.
Evaluating Collagen Claims
Many products contain collagen, but not all collagen-based products confer benefits. Injectable collagen can help boost skin elasticity and thickness, but the long-term effects vary depending upon the product you use. Collagen creams can't penetrate the deepest layers of the skin, so the effects are minimal. A 2013 study published in the journal "Skin Pharmacology and Physiology," however, found that oral collagen supplements may help boost skin elasticity.
- Many products contain collagen, but not all collagen-based products confer benefits.
- Injectable collagen can help boost skin elasticity and thickness, but the long-term effects vary depending upon the product you use.
Skin Elasticity
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Collagen helps your skin maintain its elasticity. This prevents your face from developing wrinkles every time you make an expression and accounts for the youthful appearance of younger skin. As you age, collagen tends to break down, and this reduces skin's elasticity, resulting in wrinkles, saggy skin, age spots and similar effects of aging.
Wrinkle Filler
When collagen breaks down, the expressions you've made throughout your life begin to show in your face. Exposure to sun can compound the effects, resulting in fine lines, wrinkles and sagging. Collagen injections won't prevent future wrinkles, but collagen is a popular wrinkle filler with effects that can last for months. Treatment is not permanent and will have to be repeated if you want to maintain your results.
- When collagen breaks down, the expressions you've made throughout your life begin to show in your face.
- Collagen injections won't prevent future wrinkles, but collagen is a popular wrinkle filler with effects that can last for months.
Scar Treatment
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Collagen can also be used as a filler for scars, particularly those caused by acne. As you age and collagen breaks down, your skin can scar more easily -- and the scars may be deeper and more pronounced. Injecting collagen into the scars can help minimize or even eliminate their appearance. As with wrinkle-fighting collagen injections, though, the results only last for a few months.
- Collagen can also be used as a filler for scars, particularly those caused by acne.
- Injecting collagen into the scars can help minimize or even eliminate their appearance.
Related Articles
References
- Skin Pharmacology and Physiology: Oral Supplementation of Specific Collagen Peptides Has Beneficial Effects on Human Skin Physiology -- A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study
- Molecular Cell Biology: Collagen -- The Fibrous Proteins of the Matrix
- Medical News Today: What Is Collagen?
- Asserin, J., Lati, E., Shioya, T., & Prawitt, J. (2015). The effect of oral collagen peptide supplementation on skin moisture and the dermal collagen network: evidence from anex vivomodel and randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 14(4), 291–301. doi:10.1111/jocd.12174
- Choi FD, Sung CT, Juhasz ML, Mesinkovsk NA. Oral Collagen Supplementation: A Systematic Review of Dermatological Applications. J Drugs Dermatol. 2019;18(1):9-16.
- Cúneo F, Costa-Paiva L, Pinto-Neto AM, Morais SS, Amaya-Farfan J. Effect of dietary supplementation with collagen hydrolysates on bone metabolism of postmenopausal women with low mineral density. Maturitas. 2010 Mar;65(3):253-7.
- Czajka, A., Kania, E. M., Genovese, L., Corbo, A., Merone, G., Luci, C., & Sibilla, S. (2018). Daily oral supplementation with collagen peptides combined with vitamins and other bioactive compounds improves skin elasticity and has a beneficial effect on joint and general wellbeing. Nutrition Research, 57, 97–108. doi:10.1016/j.nutres.2018.06.001
- García-Coronado, J. M., Martínez-Olvera, L., Elizondo-Omaña, R. E., Acosta-Olivo, C. A., Vilchez-Cavazos, F., Simental-Mendía, L. E., & Simental-Mendía, M. (2018). Effect of collagen supplementation on osteoarthritis symptoms: a meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials. International Orthopaedics, 43(3), 531–538. doi:10.1007/s00264-018-4211-5
- Hays NP, Kim H, Wells AM, Kajkenova O, Evans WJ. "Effects of whey and fortified collagen hydrolysate protein supplements on nitrogen balance and body composition in older women." J Am Diet Assoc. 2009 Jun;109(6):1082-7.
- Kirmse, M., Oertzen-Hagemann, V., de Marées, M., Bloch, W., & Platen, P. (2019). Prolonged Collagen Peptide Supplementation and Resistance Exercise Training Affects Body Composition in Recreationally Active Men. Nutrients, 11(5), 1154. doi:10.3390/nu11051154
- Proksch E, Schunck M, Zague V, Segger D, Degwert J, Oesser S. Oral intake of specific bioactive collagen peptides reduces skin wrinkles and increases dermal matrix synthesis. Skin Pharmacol Physiol. 2014;27(3):113-9.
- Proksch E, Segger D, Degwert J, Schunck M, Zague V, Oesser S. Oral supplementation of specific collagen peptides has beneficial effects on human skin physiology: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Skin Pharmacol Physiol. 2014;27(1):47-55.
- Tomosugi N, Yamamoto S, Takeuchi M, et al. Effect of Collagen Tripeptide on Atherosclerosis in Healthy Humans. J Atheroscler Thromb. 2017;24(5):530–538. doi:10.5551/jat.36293
Writer Bio
Van Thompson is an attorney and writer. A former martial arts instructor, he holds bachelor's degrees in music and computer science from Westchester University, and a juris doctor from Georgia State University. He is the recipient of numerous writing awards, including a 2009 CALI Legal Writing Award.